U-119's service career began with the
4th U-boat Flotilla on 2 April 1942 where she underwent training. She was declared operational on 1 February 1943 when she moved over to the
12th flotilla.
Operational career
The boat made a short run from Kiel to
Frederikshaven in Denmark and back from 4 to 10 August 1942.
First patrol
Her first patrol commenced with her departure from Kiel on 6 February 1943. She crossed the
North Sea and skirted the northern coast of
Iceland, arriving at
Bordeaux in occupied France on 1 April.
Second patrol and loss
U-119 was unsuccessfully attacked on 29 April 1943 by a
Short Sunderland flying boat of
461 Squadron RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force). The boat sustained no damage but one man was killed.
She sank Halma on 3 June east of
Halifax,
Nova Scotia and damaged John A. Poor on 27 July. Both ships were attacked with mines laid by U-119 on 1 June.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press.
ISBN1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler.
ISBN3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press.
ISBN0-85177-593-4.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour.
ISBN1-85409-515-3.
External links
Helgason, Guðmundur.
"The Type X boat U-119". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus.
"U 119". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 December 2014.